Ranchers short course slated

A total of four Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) continuing educations units (CEUs) will be available for persons completing the series.

Gary Bomar, Taylor County Extension agent and a program coordinator, said the short course is designed to provide producers with the latest technical knowledge available.

"We'll have everyone from feedlot operators to wildlife folks here to address just about any scenario a West Texas rancher could imagine," said Bomar. "We've tried hard to put together a quality program to really meet the needs of our region's cattle producers. It'll be tough to find a program anywhere with as much practical information as this one offers."

The session at Abilene Auction, located on Interstate 20 North, will concentrate on marketing. Speakers and topics include a beef cattle outlook by Stan Bevers, Vernon-based Extension economist, and Randy Carson, Abilene Auction owner. Rex Bland, owner of Cal-Texas Feedyard at Trent, will join Carson for a session on how to evaluate quality and price of cattle.

The Ben Richey Boys Ranch, located on Loop 322, will feature Allan McGinty, Extension range specialist at San Angelo. He will offer a hands-on brush control demonstration on the basics of range herbicide management.

Speakers for the final session on the Sears Ranch, located on Highway 277 southwest of Abilene, are Dale Rollins, Extension wildlife specialist at San Angelo, and Billy Henderson, local TDA inspector. Rollins will share his thoughts on livestock and wildlife interactions and Henderson will offer CEUs in herbicide laws and regulations.

The program is sponsored by the Extension offices in Taylor, Callahan, Jones, Shackelford, Nolan and Fisher counties.

Pre-registration prior to April 1 is $25 per person for the three-session short course and $35 for late registrants and at the door. For further information, contact Bomar at (915) 672-6048.